Apparatus and methods for duplex printing in multiple print engine systems
First Claim
1. A multiple print engine system, comprising:
- at least one work station for generating a print job having a plurality of pages associated therewith;
a RIP engine for receiving said print job from said workstation and RIPing said print job to provide a RIPed print job;
a parsing device operating in conjunction with said RIP engine for parsing the RIPed print job to a number of defined pages with a predetermined page sequence having alternating odd and even number pages, the pages being associated with the print job;
a page buffer for storing the RIPed pages in association with the print job that they were generated in;
a plurality of printers, each for receiving selected ones of the RIPed pages and printing the received RIPed pages;
a processor for selectively distributing after RIPing all or a portion of said RIPed print job by outputting one of said odd or even RIPed pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing on an image receiving media by a select one of said printers and by subsequently outputting a sequentially adjacent one of said even or odd RIPed pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing on said image receiving media by the same select one of said printers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multiple print engine configuration allows a plurality of workstations to create individual print jobs and then transfer them to a distributing processor. The distributing processor spools the jobs in a print spooler and then performs a software RIP on the print jobs. The RIP process divides the jobs into multiple individual jobs which are stored in a page buffer. An image task manager in conjunction with an engine manager selectively distribute the RIPed pages to multiple print engines. For duplex printing, one of the odd or even RIPed pages are sent to a select one of the print engines for printing on an imaging receiving media, and a sequentially adjacent one of the even or odd RIPed pages is subsequently sent to the same print engine for printing on the image receiving media.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A multiple print engine system, comprising:
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at least one work station for generating a print job having a plurality of pages associated therewith; a RIP engine for receiving said print job from said workstation and RIPing said print job to provide a RIPed print job; a parsing device operating in conjunction with said RIP engine for parsing the RIPed print job to a number of defined pages with a predetermined page sequence having alternating odd and even number pages, the pages being associated with the print job; a page buffer for storing the RIPed pages in association with the print job that they were generated in; a plurality of printers, each for receiving selected ones of the RIPed pages and printing the received RIPed pages; a processor for selectively distributing after RIPing all or a portion of said RIPed print job by outputting one of said odd or even RIPed pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing on an image receiving media by a select one of said printers and by subsequently outputting a sequentially adjacent one of said even or odd RIPed pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing on said image receiving media by the same select one of said printers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A multiple print engine system for printing a RIPed print job having alternating odd and even number pages, comprising:
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a page buffer for storing RIPed pages for the received print job; a plurality of printers for receiving selected ones of the RIPed pages and printing the received RIPed pages; and a processor for selectively distributing to select ones of said printers all or a portion of said RIPed print job by outputting a first sequence of said odd number pages or a first sequence of said even number pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer and by subsequently outputting a second sequence of sequentially adjacent ones of said even number or a second sequence of sequentially adjacent odd number pages to the same select ones of said printers. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for printing to multiple print engines, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one work station for generating a print job having a plurality of pages associated therewith; receiving the print job from the workstation and RIPing the print job with a RIP engine to provide a RIPed print job having alternating odd and even number pages; storing in a page buffer the RIPed pages in association with the print job that they were generated in; distributing a first sequence of odd or even number RIPed pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing by select ones of the printers; and subsequently distributing a second sequence of sequentially adjacent even or odd number pages from said RIPed print job stored in said page buffer for printing by the same select one of said printers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification